


Conviction

by Poklear (Pokerel)



Series: The Realmcrosser [2]
Category: Helltaker (Video Game)
Genre: Companion fic to Heavenleaver but can be read as a standalone, Gen, Light Angst, Lucifer (Helltaker) POV, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:29:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25552075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pokerel/pseuds/Poklear
Summary: Justice has atalkwith Lucifer about her replacement.Excerpt:"You think she's not suited for the job.""I think you picked the one demon in Hell most likely to walk away from a fight against your orders."
Relationships: Justice & Lucifer (Helltaker)
Series: The Realmcrosser [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1851595
Comments: 3
Kudos: 59





	Conviction

**Author's Note:**

> This would have gone in the omake, except I'm not in the habit of interspersing flashback sequences. Set between Beelzebub's banishment and Judgement becoming High Prosecutor.

Justice appeared in Lucifer's office towards the end of the diurnal cycle, when her office had mercifully cleared out.

She didn't have her gauntlets, though she was still attired in her usual dark blazer, crimson armband with an _XI_ across it declaring her status as High Prosecutor. In fact, she wasn't wearing her gloves either, one bare hand on Judgement's shoulder.

(Lucifer would be lying if she said it didn't sting a little. The gloves had been her gift, the day Justice had taken up the mantle. She'd even caught her wearing them on the job, for Hell's sake.)

The younger demon glanced between Justice and Lucifer, confusion clear on her features. Justice only stared in Lucifer's direction, steel blue eyes large and unseeing.

Justice spared Lucifer having to start a conversation by saying, without turning her head, "Leave us."

"But-" Judgement said, before chewing her lip as she gave a shaky nod that Justice wouldn't see even if she looked, slipping out from under the hand. The two older demons waited in silence as her footsteps receded with her.

Then Justice crossed her arms. "I can't say I'm not disappointed," she announced into the silence.

Lucifer shot her patented death-glare at the remaining skeletons in the queue. They took the hint and scattered. That done, Lucifer returned her attention to Justice's words. There were many things that she expected the other to have to say (some way more unpleasant than others), but that line hadn't been one of them.

So she stood, and walked around to the front of her desk, leaning back against it.

"What are you talking about?"

Justice frowned, gesturing at where Judgement had stood, before throwing her hands out in a _what in Hell_ gesture.

"You don't like her?" Lucifer asked, concerned.

"What? No." Justice scrunched up her face, pinching the bridge of her nose. "She's been perfectly polite all day. Even if she has strong opinions about what the job entails."

Lucifer sensed a _but_ in there somewhere. "But...?"

Justice raised one brow at Lucifer.

"You think she's not suited for the job."

Justice raised the other brow, tilting her head in what Lucifer recognized as exasperation. "I think you picked the one demon in Hell most likely to walk away from a fight against your orders. Am I still looking at you?"

"You are," Lucifer said.

"Good. 'Cause I don't want to give my next spiel to a wall."

"I'm standing right here," she reassured Justice.

"A'ight." Justice's expression turned stern. "For starters, there are a lot of demons perfectly capable of taking up the position." She started ticking off fingers. "Malina, Zdrada, even Pandemonica-"

"She's the least useless secretary I've had in decades, I'm not giving her up-" Lucifer snapped her mouth shut at Justice's glower.

"My point stands. There's no shortage of candidates. Not to rag on Judgement, she's sharp and she's dedicated, that's already more than I could ask for. Except she's also nice to a fault _and_ insists on fairness as a basis of the trial."

"..."

"I'm just going to _very nicely_ ask you if that's your guilt complex speaking."

"..."

"Dammit, Lucy." Justice looked like she was about to start pacing, hands tangling in her own hair. "That's being unfair to the kid."

"Maybe it's unfair to Judgement. Maybe I'm trying to keep anyone else from getting hurt!" Lucifer surprised even herself with the outburst. "Maybe I'm tired of looking at you and seeing my own mistakes! I should never have made you take on Beelzebub-"

Justice swung at Lucifer.

It missed by a mile, but it was enough to shut her up. On the downside, she overbalanced, nearly toppling. On instinct, Lucifer grabbed her arm, preventing Justice from faceplanting on the carpet. Instead of helping her up, she slowly lowered both of them to the ground.

They were silent for a moment.

"See what I mean?" Lucifer let out a dry, hysterical laugh, her head falling back against the table with a thud, closing her eyes. "I should have known better."

"There you go again," Justice said. Lucifer turned her head, eyes narrowing in insult. "Your whole guilt complex thing. I've said it before and I'll say it again, _this was not your fault._ "

"You can't say that."

"Oh, I can. I'm the one allowed to decide who's guilty. It's in the job description and all." Justice turned her head, so Lucifer could see her amused expression. "And the court finds the defendant not guilty."

"That's not how it works," Lucifer said.

"You wanna go?" Justice cleared her throat. "Ladies and laddies of the Infernal Court, I see you are well. Or rather, I don't."

Lucifer smacked her in the arm, horrified, but Justice plowed on.

"I confess to losing the use of my eyes in a battle with Beelzebub, at the time known as Hell's own Sovereign of Pestilence, also by the self-proclaimed title of the Warden of Decay. Beelzebub will not be joining us today-"

"Stop!" Justice did stop, though she looked at Lucifer as if challenging her to say _anything_ about it. "That battle was uncalled for and you know it."

"Uncalled for? _Uncalled for?_ "

Lucifer quickly clarified herself before Justice could call her an _absolute idiot, Lucy, what even._ "There had to be a better way to do it."

"You only say that because I can't see you, which means I can't glare at you until you change your mind. And besides, that is straying very far from the point. I over-exerted my powers, Beelzebub lost anyway, that was all, the end." She paused on the 'end' meaningfully. "You're not doing Judgement any favours."

"If another Beelzebub comes along, I'm not going to have my new High Prosecutor go blind too." Or worse.

 _"If!"_ Lucifer jumped at Justice's tone. "If another threat of that magnitude comes along, backing down is _not_ an option! You're not going to set her up to _lose!_ "

Justice let out an explosive breath, visibly forcing herself to relax. Lucifer mulled over Justice's words, to the point where she nearly missed her next statement.

"I don't need your pity."

"Mhm."

" _Judgement_ doesn't need your pity, even if she's never going to tell you that."

"Hm."

"I mean it. None of that 'it was all my fault' crap. It's easier when everyone's flinging blame back and forth, I swear." Justice sighed, but the bulk of the tension in the room had faded, leaving an amicable silence in its wake.

"I can fix your hair," Lucifer offered. Arguably a chore below the CEO of Hell. But between friends, it would do what a verbal apology could not.

"Naw, I got it." Justice untied the ribbon and handed it to her anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Among the words cut from _Heavenleaver_ :
> 
> _Lucifer: Lying doesn't suit you, Jus._  
>  _Justice: Pining doesn't suit you, Lucy._


End file.
